Deepfake videos cause public panic and political manipulation
Deepfake technology created convincing synthetic videos and images that spread on social media, including a 2022 fake video of Ukraine's president calling for military surrender that caused temporary public panic before being debunked, and a 2023 fabricated image of Pope Francis that fooled millions.
What happened
In 2022, Ukraine's state television was hacked and a deepfake video was broadcast showing President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on troops to lay down their weapons. The video spread rapidly on social media.
In late 2023, a deepfake image of Pope Francis wearing a white puffy jacket was shared by millions of people on social media and appeared convincing, though it was created by an AI algorithm.
Reported impact
The 2022 Zelensky deepfake caused brief panic in Ukraine before officials confirmed the video was fake. The spread of deepfake content threatens political communication, public trust, and security.
Index analysis
Deepfake technology uses deep learning algorithms trained on AI to manipulate images, audio, and video to appear nearly authentic. The boundary between parody and propaganda is blurring as the technology becomes more convincing and accessible.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.